Today is ash Wednesday, the beginning of lent for many Christians and services were held at churches all around the area today.
Lent is a time of reflection and penitence for Christians, in the weeks leading up to Easter.
In observation of Ash Wednesday, church goers at St. Matthew Cathedral in South Bend gathered to receive ashes on their foreheads.
"The use of ashes began probably in Rome in the 8th century. The bishop would sprinkle ashes upon their head as a sign of their repentance and their special status as penitence, preparing to return to the full communion of the church," explains rev. Michael Heintz who serves as pastor and rector.
The Lenten season lasts 40 days, ending with Good Friday and Easter.
Ash Wednesday